Ibadan: A melting point

Ibadan from its early history, had always been circumstantial and cosmopolitan. It is undisputable, that Lagelu, the Yoruba Warlord and Generalissimo was its founder around 1829. It became a British Protectorate in 1893, after a treaty, signed by Baale Fijabi, the then Baale of Ibadan, with the British Acting Governor of Lagos, George C.

Ibadan

Denton on 15th August 1892.Ever since, Ibadan has grown to become then, the third most populated city in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, it was hitherto, the most cosmopolitan city in Africa.

The British developed the Ibadan colony to facilitate it’s commercial activities and it shortly grew into a major trading centre and political centre point of the Yoruba nation.

Consequent upon these, the first railroad in Nigeria started from Iddo in 1898 and got to Ibadan in 1901, when the Dugbe Train Station was formally opened. The early economic growth of Ibadan was thus intrinsically linked to the railway. It is interesting to note, perhaps as a deliberate strategy of its growth, that out of the entire 3505 kms of narrow rail track in Nigeria, Ibadan alone has 42 kms of rail track roads from Omi Adio to Lalupon.

Professor John Pepper Clark, an Ijaw man, married to a Yoruba woman, Prof. (Mrs.) Ebun Clark, saw Ibadan better in its splendor, elegance, grandeur, magnificence and contradictions, when he celebrated Ibadan as; Running splash of rust: and gold flung and scattered:Among seven hills like broken: china in the sun.

THE IBADAN PILLARS

Chief Salami Agbaje

Ibadan early entrepreneurs, elites and statesmen, contributed immensely to Ibadan’s early growth. It is a strange coincidence, that Chief Salami Agbaje, one of Ibadan’s early successful indigenous entrepreneurs and richest citizens in his time, supplied all the timbers, needed for the construction of the Ibadan-Lagos Railways between 1898 and 1901.

Salami’s success in this timber business, encouraged him to go into produce buying venture and he also diversified into transportation, import and export. Through the Ibadan-Lagos railway line, he imported cotton, building materials, umbrellas and sewing machines.

He owned the first private motor garage in Ibadan and the first truly indigenous diversified company and was also the first to establish cinemas. He was the first Ibadan man to ride a car in 1915 and built a two-storey building, with cement. He was known to have spent a great deal of his wealth in giving his children the best education.

He produced the first Ibadan Medical Doctor, Dr. Saka Anthony Agbaje, first Ibadan Lawyer, Mojeed Agbaje and a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Ganiyu Agbaje and also Yekeen Agbaje , a Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Even though he was known to be stingy and tight-fisted, he advanced the course of modern commerce in Ibadan land and the Western Region entirely. Salami Agbaje, originally from Iseyin, started his early life as a tailor.

In his days, he had a lot of dealings with European Companies, engaged in exportation of agricultural products. He was an illiterate, but without attending school, he learned to read, write and speak impeccable English and was until his death in 1953, the Balogun of Ibadan Land.

Sanusi Adebisi Giwa Idi-Ikan, was another Ibadan early wealthy man, who used the opportunity of Ibadan’s emerging prominence as an important trading centre, to become a buying agent for Miller-Brothers and U.A.C. He subsequently became a produce buyer and began to amass wealth for himself.

He was widely acknowledged by the Ibadan people, because of his conspicuous benefaction to the Ibadan community. Adebisi’s ancestry was traced to the Ijeshas, his cognomen being- “Omo Ogbododo Ijesa” and his mother, “Ogboja Omo Atiba”, was a daughter of Alaafin Atiba.

Adebisi’s mansion in Idi-Ikan, Ibadan, still stands today as an architectural masterpiece. He was the first Ibadan man to ride a horse and later bought a car. Till he died in 1938, he was revered as one of the wealthiest men in Ibadan.

Few that could match Salami and Adebisi Idi-Ikan, were, Babarinde Akinloye ‘molewa, (Chief Adisa Akinloye’s father) and also a Nigerian Diarist and business man, Akinpelu Obisesan, who after a brief spell with the Nigerian Railways returned to Ibadan in 1913, worked with PZ and later became a produce buyer. For 30 years, he was President of Ibadan Cooperative Produce Marketing Societies (ICPMS) and pioneer Chairman of Cooperative Bank, to serve the needs of Cooperative Societies.

Ibadan, as a result of its rising growth, economic development, and its accommodating nature, became a colony for large migrants population. The Western Igbos settled in Mokola, Ekotedo and Inalende, in the early 1920’s whilst Sabon- gari was planned in 1917 and completed in 1920.

The overcrowding of Sabon- gari, originally meant for the Hausas, led to the development of Mokola, to also house, Nupe and Igbira migrants from the Northern Nigeria. Late Waziri Nupe, Alhaji Bello Muhammed Bagudu, grew up and settled in Mokola, Ibadan, until his later life, when he relocated back to Bida.

He was a member of Ibadan Municipal Council in the 1950s. His son, Senator Isa Mohammed, who also grew up in Ibadan, attended Igbo Elerin Grammar school, Ibadan, founded by the current Ibadan Monarch – Oba Odugade Odulana. He was a Senator, representing Niger Central Constituency of Niger State, in the National Assembly, between 1999-2007. Ekotedo and Inalende were also developed, as planned settlement for Yorubas coming from outside Ibadan.

The Ijebus were predominant in Amunigun, Agbeni, Oke-Ado, and Oke-Bola, whilst the Egbas settled predominantly in Odo-Ona and Ago Taylor, with a little admixture of the Igbiras. The Ijeshas, mainly traders, settled in Mokola, Oremeji, whilst the Igbajos are in Sango. The Alli-Iwo’s naturally were settlers from Iwo, and the Dele family in Oje, migrated from Ogbomosho.

Ibadan, as part of its uniqueness, has an uncommon way of succession to the throne. It is purely hierarchical- i.e. by promotion from Mogaji line. In other words, there are no Ruling Houses in Ibadan. It is only Otun Olubadan, from Otun Olubadan line and Balogun from Balogun line, that can succeed the throne interchangeably.

Oba Isaac Akinyele, a clergy of the Christ Apostolic Church faith and his brother, Alexander, were also part of Ibadan’s early path finders. Isaac, became a Custom Inspector for the Ibadan City Council in 1903. In 1914, the Akinyele brothers formed the Egbe Agba o tan– a small tribal Association. Oba Akinyele became the Olubadan of Ibadan land in 1952 and died in May 1965.

Alexander Akinyele was also a clergy man and later a Bishop. Alexander Akinyele, on the 31st of March 1913, founded the Ibadan Grammar School. He championed the course of education in Ibadan, founded the school single- handedly. He was its first principal until 1933, following his elevation to the position of Assistant Bishop of Lagos Diocese.

In 1911, he wrote the book “Iwe Itan Ibadan”. His daughter, Kemi Morgan, wife of Late Justice Morgan, complemented her father’s efforts, when she also wrote a book, “Legends from Yorubaland”, in the early 1960’s. Alexander, was succeeded by Reverend Latunde, later Reverend E.A Odusanwo and later his son-in-law, the legendary Arch Deacon (then Reverend) E.O Alayande in 1948, who was originally from Feesu in Iwo.

He was a man, whose prowess transcended the educational sector and the church, as he was also interested in and participated in politics. He was a loyal Party member of the Action Group, since its inception in 1951 and later, he served the government of Chief Bola Ige, one of his students in Ibadan Grammar School, in 1979, as his Special Adviser on Education.

Until his translation to higher glory, in 2006, at the age of 96, he played a leading role in many humanitarian organizations in Ibadan, to which he contributed immensely.

BOWER’S TOWERS

Bower’s Towers, a natural attraction in Ibadan, was erected by the Ibadan Native Authority in the 1930s, but was unveiled by Captain Robert Lister Bower, who was then, the Resident of Ibadan, on the 15th of December, 1936. Whoever comes to Ibadan and has not visited Bower’s Towers (La yi po), to have a panoramic view of the city does not know Ibadan-(Ibadan lomo o mo layi po)

CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO COMES TO IBADAN

Mr. Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo, later (Chief) came to Ibadan in January 1927, as a student of the Wesley College, Elekuro, Ibadan, which was established in 1905, as a teacher training and pastoral college.

Mr. Obafemi Awolowo, within the one year of his stay in Wesley College Elekuro, did not particularly like the idea of a regimented teacher training course, and the later life of a school teacher. At the end of the session in December 1927, he opted out of the college. He however, came back to the college again in August 1934, as a college clerk. He had since his life in Wesley College, fancied Ibadan as a place to live his adult life.

Obafemi later became secretary of the Nigerian Youth Movement Ibadan branch and the General Secretary of the Nigerian Transport Union, the Secretary of the Ibadan branch of the Nigerian-Produce Traders Association and Literary Secretary of the Wesley guild.

He left Ibadan for the United Kingdom (UK), in 1944, to study Law and after his call to the Bar on 18th November 1946, he came back to Ibadan, to practice Law. He had a lucrative practice between 1947 and 1951. Chief Abiodun Akerele, later Balogun of Oyo, joined his practice as a Partner. Abiodun Akerele was the father of Lagos Socilaite- Hilario Babs Akerele.

He became leader of Government Business, Western Region in 1952, and later Premier of the Western Region in 1954. Ibadan was a center point of activities. Chief Obafemi Awolowo fully set himself up in Ibadan as a trader and later a Lawyer.

It was in Ibadan that his political life began to unfold. He got married to his heartthrob; Mama Hannah Idowu-dideolu Adelana on 26th December 1937. Mama was papa’s jewel of inestimable value.

They had all their five children in Ibadan; Olusegun (1939-1963), Omotola, Oluwole, Ayodele, and Tokunbo. Oluwole attended Ibadan Grammar School whilst the last two daughters- Ayodele and Tokunbo, attended St. Annes Girls School in Ibadan.

ADEGOKE ADELABU

Adegoke Adelabu was another storming petrel of Ibadan politics and was formerly known as Joseph Adegoke Sanusi. He was an extraordinarily brilliant scholar, who had double promotion in both primary school and secondary school- Government College in Ibadan. As a meteor, he did not live too long.

He was born in 1915 and died in 1958. Within a short spell, he changed the face of Ibadan politics. He was the architect of grass root politics in Ibadan and with him, went a certain glamour from Ibadan Politics. He was popularly known as “Penkelemesi” that is “Peculiar mess”.

Mr. D.T Akinbiyi, later Oba D.T. Akinbiyi (Olubadan), in an article in the Nigerian Tribune, of December 22 1951, whilst tolerating Adelabu’s “garrulity and insolence”, admonished that an “old Horse knows more than a young Cot”, which however, according to him, did not diminish the fact, that Adegoke was “highly intelligent and dynamic”.

At his demise in 1958, though then an opposition leader, in the Western Region Parliament,Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Premier of Western Region, described him as “a fearless, forthright, indomitable and extremely resourceful leader”.

J.M JOHNSON

As an interesting corollary, a non-native, J.M Johnson (1912-1987), born in Lagos of Lafiaji/Brazilian extraction, returned to civil life in Ibadan after the Second World War and became a Bank Clerk and later a business man and eventually joined Politics where he got elected into the Ibadan District Council and later became the first and only ever non-indigene to serve as Chairman of the council.

From his Political life in Ibadan, he became a Federal Minister in 1956 and served in Internal affairs, Labour, Social welfare and Sports, also acting twice as the Prime Minister in the N.C.N.C and N.P.C. Coalition Government.

He was instrumental to the first World Boxing Title fight in Africa, which took place in Ibadan, Western Nigeria, between Tiger and Fulman in 1963 at the Liberty Stadium. In the same year (1963), he retired from Politics by declining to contest in the General Elections.

NIGERIA’S FIRST UNIVERSITY

The first University, to be set up in Nigeria, was the University of Ibadan-established as a college of the University of London, when it was founded in 1948 and later converted into an autonomous University in 1962.

The University of Ibadan started from the rehabilitated Military Barracks at Eleyele, Ibadan with its architecture of woods, frame bungalows, before it moved to its permanent site, at the Old Oyo Road, Ibadan in 1952.

Ibadan as part of its cosmopolitan nature and early growth, had a city Airport in Samonda, Ibadan, close to the University of Ibadan. It now has a new Airport in Alakia Ibadan, officially commissioned in 1982, by the Second Republic President- Alhaji Shehu Shagari.

IBADAN INTHE 60’s and 70’s

Ibadan in the 60’s and 70’s had well paved and macadamised roads. There were organized Transport Services of Black Taxi Cabs, designated Bus-stops and stations, effective Bus Services of Ibadan City Council, Inaolaji Trading & Transport Services (IT&TS), Alebiosu Brothers, amongst several others.

The median of Total Garden/ Yemetu/ Beere, dualised road for instance, had ornamental trees. The road houses the popular Yemetu Police Barracks and Station, the Oritamefa Baptist Church, (Church Oyinbo), the Adeoyo Hospital, that was established in 1926 and from where the University Teaching Hospital (UCH) took off, before it moved to it’s present site in 1956, the palace of Olubadan-Baale Aminu and of course, the Tribune House, Agbadagudu Yemetu, Ibadan, from where the Nigerian Tribune started in 1948.

The Yemetu road also leads to the Hill-top Catholic Seminary at Oke-Are, known as Shepherd Hill, also corrupted as “Oke Sapati”.

WOLE SOYINKA

Interestingly, Daniel Olorunfemi Fagunwa, popularly known as- D.O Fagunwa, born in 1903, the celebrated author of Yoruba Novels and native of Oke-igbo, lived in Ibadan on Ajanla Street, Oke –Ado, where he lived until his death at the bank of River-Niger,- Bida in December 1963. From his Ajanla Residence, Oke-Ado Ibadan, he wrote his Ogboju Ode ninu igbo irunmole, translated into English in 1968, as the Forest of a thousand Deamons by Wole Soyinka, who also lived in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, around this period with his friend and soul mate- Mr Bola Ige, later Chief.

The writings of D.O Fagunwa in Ibadan, encouraged the writings of Amos Tutuola, a barely literate man, who was born in 1920 in Abeokuta, but lived his life in Ibadan, until his death at the age of 77 in 1997.

Amos Tutuola, was a Store keeper, with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation in 1956. Despite his short formal education, he joined the Ibadan Writers Elite- the Mbari Mbayo Club of Ulli Beier and Wole Soyinka. He was the author of the popular book “The Palm-wine Drunkard” in 1952.

The University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, founded in 1962, started from the present North Campus of the Ibadan Polytechnic, then known as the Nigerian College of Arts and Science. It took it’s first set of 244 students on the 22nd of September 1962, with five faculties; – Agriculture, Arts, Economics, Social Studies (now Social Sciences), and Law.

The university resided in Ibadan until January 1968, when it finally relocated to its new permanent Campus in Ile-Ife. It’s first Vice Chancellor was Professor Oladele Ajose, succeeded in 1966 by Professor Hezekiah Oluwasanmi, a University of Ibadan Agricultural Economist.

ADEKUNLE FAJUYI

In recognition of Governor Adekunle Fajuyi’s efforts, in the early relocation of the University to Ile-Ife, (when he was the then governor of the Western region), the first male hostel- Fajuyi Hall, was named after him.

Ibadan in its early life, had served as the Administrative centre and capital of the Western Region since 1949. In fact, the first General Conference, to fashion out a new constitution for Nigeria, was held in Ibadan between January 9th and 30th of 1950.

IBADAN, NIGERIA’S HOME OF MANY FIRSTS

Ibadan became the home of many firsts, due to the progressive governance, political wizardry and economic sagacity of the Awolowo led Action Group- the first television station in Africa on the 31st of October 1959, the first stadium-the liberty stadium, patterned after the popular Wembley Stadium in London.

This 25,000 capacity seat football stadium and the first stadium to be built in Africa, was officially opened in 1960, and also built during Awolowo’s tenure as the Premier of the Western Region. It was officially renamed the Obafemi Awolowo stadium on the 12th November 2010 by the then President Goodluck Jonathan, during a courtesy visit to the late sage widow; Mama HID Awolowo.

Amongst the firsts also, is the popular 24 storey sky scraper- the Cocoa House, the first dualised road in Nigeria- named The Queen Elizabeth road, from Mokola to Agodi Secretariat, officially declared open, by the visiting Queen Elizabeth II in 1956 and also the popular University College Hospital (U.C.H) , the first teaching hospital in Nigeria, patterned after the University of London Teaching Hospital (ULTH), was also officially commissioned by the Queen, during this historic visit to Nigeria in 1956.

It is equally important to remember the first Re-diffusion in Nigeria; the one channel Radio Station, the Agodi Government Secretariat being, the first in Nigeria and the first Modern Parliament that housed the Regional House of Assembly and the House of Chiefs. The first Housing Estate in Nigeria- the Bodija Housing Estate was also built and developed in 1958.

Ibadan also had the first highly organized and structured Civil Service in Nigeria, with the Simon Adebos, Saburi Biobakus, as its founding lights. The free education programme of the Awolowo government, the first in Nigeria, was launched in Ibadan, in 1954.

As a honeypot, Ibadan became the home of the first set of Research and Training institutes in Nigeria; The Forestry Research Institute (1930), the Idi-Ayunre Cocoa Research Institute (CRIN), The Nigerian Cereal Research Institute Moor Plantation (NCRI), the NIHORT (Nigerian Institute of Horticultural Research), the NISER (Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research), IAR&T (Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training), amongst several others.

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

Ibadan made people and moulded characters. Olusegun Obasanjo, from his teaching desk at the African Church Modern School, Ago Tailor, Odo-Ona Ibadan in 1957, where he taught General Science and Religious knowledge from Modern 1-3, he took the Cadetship examination into the Nigerian Army and passed, and enlisted formalities concluded in March 1958.

Obasanjo came back to Ibadan almost 10 years thereafter, as the Commander of the Second Area command of the Nigerian Army Ibadan and an automatic member of the State Executive Council of the then Brigadier Robert Adeyinka Adebayo’s government in the Western Region.

Obasanjo in Ibadan, began to interact with the Ibadan elites, lecturers and administrators, most especially from the University of Ibadan through the Town and Gown forum- a forum of interaction between the University of Ibadan and the community. He also interacted with other sectors of the community, like the Political, Business and Cultural sectors of the community.

UKPABI ASIKA

It was from these interactions, that he consummated the friendships of many Ibadan intellectuals. It was Professor J.F Ade Ajayi, on the request of Olusegun Obasanjo, that scouted for Anthony Ukpabi Asika, a 31 year old radical teacher of Political Science at the University of Ibadan, to be made the Civilian Administrator of East Central State of Nigeria on the 29th of October 1967.

CHIEF GABRIEL IGBINEDION

Chief Gabriel Osawarun Igbinedion, now the Esama of Benin, was once a young Police Officer in Ibadan in the 1950s.

MKO ABIOLA

Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, in 1956, started his working life as a Bank clerk with the Barclays Bank Plc. Dugbe, Ibadan. After two years as a Bank Clerk, he joined Western Region Finance Corporation, as an Executive Account Officer, before leaving for Glasgow University Scotland, to pursue his higher education, on the Western Region of Nigeria scholarship.

He received a first class degree in Accounting and also had a distinction from the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Scotland. He was at a later time in his life, conferred with the Chieftaincy title of Bashorun of Ibadan land.

SPOUSAL RELATIONSHIPS

In Ibadan, future spousal relationships strived, most especially within the University Community; Laide and Wole Soyinka, Ayo and Adetoun Ogunseye, Ojetunji and Bimpe Aboyede, Chinua and Christy Achebe, Olumuyiwa and Bolanle Awe, Yetunde Oyebode, daughter of Late Bishop Oyebode and Okunade Sijuwade, later Ooni of Ife, Christopher Okigbo and Judith Safinat Attah, Adepoju and Aderenle Taiwo, Olusegun and Funke Agagu, amongst several others.

GENERAL YAKUBU GOWON

Interestingly, Major General Yakubu Gowon succeeded General Agunyi Ironsi as Head of State of Nigeria, on the 1st of August 1966 as a result of the Coup d’état of July 29 1966, when he was just 32 years old and a bachelor.

To change from the status of a bachelor Head of State, he got his legal spouse in Ibadan,- A University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan trained nurse; Miss Victoria Zakari, whom he married in April 1969, with Navy Commodore Akinwale Wey, the Chief of Staff, Supreme Military Council as his best man at the marriage.

Ibadan University Town and Gown relationship blossomed with the Mbari Mbayo club founded by Professor Ulli Beier, a German, who came to Ibadan as a lecturer in 1956, Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, Duro Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola, Amos Tutuola, and so many others. Also, the Players of the Ibadan Dawn Group of Olusegun Olusola and Christopher Kolade was also formed in 1958-1959, when the first Television station in Africa, W.N.T.V was being opened.

DEATH OF AGUIYI IRONSI AND ADEKUNLE FAJUYI

On July 28th 1966, General Aguiyi Ironsi as Head of State, addressed a meeting of Traditional rulers from all over the country in Ibadan. He planned to return to Lagos after his address, but choose to pass the night at the Government House with his host- Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, the Governor of the Western Region.

There was a post conference dinner held in honour of the Traditional rulers who attended the conference. The conference was held principally to rally support for the Ironsi Unification Decree number 24 of May 1966, which merged the country into a unitary entity. It was his last official assignment as the Supreme Military Commander and Head of State.

In the midnight, Captain Yakubu Danjuma, the officer detailed to provide protection for the Supreme Military Commander in Ibadan, turned out to be the officer who led the Mutineers to kill his boss- Ironsi and his host- Adekunle Fajuyi.

After their arrest, Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, being a good host and a thorough bred Yoruba man, insisted that he should be picked alongside the visiting Head of State. They were moved to Lalupon, a community in Ibadan, on Iwo road, where they were killed and buried in shallow graves.

Lieutenant colonel Hillary Njoku, ADC to the Supreme commander, however managed to escape. The leaders of the July 29 1966 putsch, included Major Muritala Mohammed, Major Abba Kyari, Captain Yakubu Danjuma, Major Martin Adamu, and Major Joe Akahan.

THE CONTRADICTIONS

Ibadan also has its contradictions. It was the home of the Agbekoyas who resented the new tax regime of Brigadier Adeyinka Adebayo in November 1968. The Governor increased taxable adult tax from E1pound, 17 shillings, 6pence to E8pounds.

The Agbekoyas, resented and protested against this arbitrary increase, and on the 11th of November 1968, the Agbekoya crisis came out full blown, when thousands of agitators marched from the Mapo hall, armed with sticks, cudgels and weapons, to express their rejection of the new tax, as announced by the Governor.

A combined team of Policemen and Soldiers opened fire on the demonstrators in Mapo, killing about 20 people. The agitators soon spread to other parts of the Western Region. The Agbekoya group was led by Mr. Tafa Adeoye, renowned farmer/hunter from Akanran, in Ibadan.

The government effort to arrest Tafa Adeoye, the strongman leader of the Agbekoya, who was reputed to be all charms, was only made possible through a pretty police detective, who was detailed to carry out intelligence surveillance on Tafa Adeoye. The lady, approached the leader of the Agbekoya group for a relationship.

Tafa fell in love with her and “Married” her. The trap was successful. After a few weeks of the relationship of Tafa and his” wife”, plain clothes policemen, entered his residence and arrested him for the offence of organizing tax agitators against the Government.

The Ibadan business landscape, in the early days was also nurtured by the pioneering efforts of two ijebu brothers, who were business titans, of the same parents- Adeola Odutola (1902-1995) and his brother Jimoh (1905-2010). Adeola was literate and a Christian, and Jimoh, though not literate was a self-made man, and till his death spoke impeccable English and spoke like a professor.

He was a Muslim. Their father was also a Muslim, while their Mother, Sabina was a Christian. The duo went into a partnership- the Odutola Brothers. Jimoh started the first tyre factory and also the first Foam factory in West Africa, in Ibadan. Jimoh’s tyre factory in Ibadan was so successful, that he was invited by the Government of Kenya and Ghana to set up similar companies over there.

He lived to a ripe age of 105 years and remained throughout his life an epitome of modesty. Interestingly, Adeola was the father of Professor Mrs. Oyin Olurin, a doyen of Ophthalmology in Nigeria and resident in Ibadan, whilst Jimoh was also the father of Professor Mrs. Ebun Clark, a pioneer of Theater Arts in Nigeria and wife of J.P Clark who wrote the popular poem-”Ibadan”.

It will still not be easy to forget the pioneering efforts of Chief Theophilus Adediran Oni, popularly known as T.A Oni and Sons (adulterated as Oni o Suwon) in the building and construction industry in Nigeria. He was born in Oke-Mesi, Ekiti State in 1913 and died in February 1975. His company was the first indigenous construction company in Nigeria.

Chief Oni’s most notable act of kindness, was willing his family estate to charity, as a clear demonstration of his high level degree of philanthropy and love for the city of Ibadan. He willed his residence- Goodwill house, to the Oyo/Western state government, to be used as a Paediatric Hospital, which is now known as T.A Oni Memorial Children Hospital, Ring Road Ibadan.

This sprawling family Estate and residence was cited on a 15acre piece of land, 65 rooms, with modern conveniences, Olympic Swimming Pool, and stable for Horses etc.

Alhaja Humoani Alaga, Alhaja Humoani Alade and Madam Janet Alatede Aboderin (mother of Olu Aboderin and Ajibola Ogunsola), Alhaja Rabiatu Adedigba Akindele (mother of Chief Bode Akindele) and the first Woman to go on Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca, were also Ibadan women of great business acumen in the early days. Mama Chief HID Awolowo, was also prominent in the textile business and her textile store in Gbagi Ibadan, known as Awolowo corner, was very prominent.

As resentment to non-admission of Christian girls to a girls mission school in Ibadan, Alhaja Humoani Alaga, single handedly established Isabatudeen Girls’ Grammar School Ibadan in 1964. Humoani established her textile trading business in 1928 and in 1933, she had become a successful merchant with properties in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom.

The succeeding generations of the early Ibadan business titans, were the likes of Chief Bode Akindele, who single handedly, established so many factories in Ibadan-Standard Breweries, Standard Packaging, Standard Plastics, Doctor Pepper Soft Drink factory, all in Alomaja Ibadan, and also a Matches Production factory in Eleyele Ibadan.

Alhaji Arisekola Alao, born on the 14th of February 1945, started as a trader of insecticides (Gamalin 20), in Agodi Ibadan in 1961, and soon became a foremost Ibadan Industrialist and Philanthropist. He established a fleet of business outfits under the Lister Conglomerate, which had cut across; Food Production, Real Estate, Insurance, Transport, and Publishing. He became the Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land in 1980, amongst several others.

LEBANESE CONNECTION

Perhaps the history of Ibadan early business titans would not be complete, without mentioning the impact of the Lebanese community in Ibadan’s early business growth and development. A leading trailblazer among the Lebanese community was the Zard family, who settled in the early 1930’s and has grown and prospered in Ibadan.

The current leading lights of the Zard Family were Maurice, Wadji, and Raymond, who was born at the Jericho Nursing home Ibadan on the 27th of May 1938 and became a Naturalized Nigerian and the holder of a National award of OFR. He is the Balogun Babalaje of Ibadan land.

The Zard business empire includes; Zartech, Kopek Construction limited, Interpac limited, Energy foods, Livestock, Poultry, and fish farming, and they were believed to hold a sensible portion of the landed property of Iyaganku, Dugbe, the commercial nerve centre of Ibadan, and Oluyole amongst several other investments in Ibadan. Their Parents, Kalil and Latife Zard were one of the early pioneers of cocoa business in Ibadan land.

IBADAN PEOPLE’S PARTY, IPP

In the city of Ibadan, in the early 50’s, was the rising importance of the Ibadan People’s Party (IPP) which was established in June 1951, with Chief Augustus Meridith Adisa Akinloye as the founding chairman and other members were;-

Akinjide, who qualified as a lawyer on the 4th of March 1956, came back home to join the grass root politics of Adelabu, who found Akinjide’s legal prowess amazing, in the celebrated case of Slapping a (Customary Court) Judge- D.T Akinbiyi (later Olubadan) , Akinjide was the younger counsel, to Dingle Foot QC- the British Lawyer, hired by Adelabu for his defense.

As a payback, Akinjide was elected into the Federal Parliament at the age of 27, in 1959, with an official emolument of E840 pounds per annum, i.e. almost E70 pounds a month. He however, became a Minister in 1965 at the age of 34.

The first oldest and surviving Newspaper in Ibadan and Nigeria- the Nigerian Tribune, established by Chief Obafemi Awolowo in Agbadagbudu, Yemetu Ibadan in 1948 and the Daily Sketch, the WNTV, WNBS, the Radio Nigeria, Ibadan were breeding grounds for journalists and broadcasters.

I.K DAIRO, FELA AND REX LAWSON

In the entertainment world of the early 50’s and 60’s, Ibadan was a beautiful city to behold. It was the home of highlife at Easy Life Hotel of Bola Johnson in Mokola, Paradise Hotel and African club Mokola, where Eddy Okonta played, Central Hotel where Orlando Julius and Roy Chicago played, JMJ Night club and bar of J.M Johnson in Mokola, were prominent city hangouts.

Fela and Rex Lawson played in Ibadan in 1967, before relocating to Lagos. Mokola was the soul of Ibadan city life, with its Highlife clubs, its brothels, and its nightclubs and bars. Chrisbo Hotel Odo-ona Ibadan, was also an important hang out.

I.K Dairo started the Morning Star Orchestra in Ibadan in 1957. Daniel Ojoge pioneered Juju music in Ibadan. In Apala and Awurebe – Tatalo Alamu and Dauda Epo Akara, dominated the scene. Idowu Animasaun, the Juju Apola King and the Juju maestro, King Sunny-Ade, Commander Ebenezer Obey and Prince Adekunle were also regular faces in Ibadan.

Moses Olaiya Adejumo, who trained King Sunny Ade, started as a Highlife Musician, before he diversified into Travelling Theatre in Yemetu Ibadan, with his Alawada Group. Sigma Club of University of Ibadan’s Havanah Nights was also an outstanding event in Ibadan. Ekotedo was Ibadan’s red-light district, whilst Mokola was the soul of Ibadan highlife and night life.

LANDSCAPES

Ibadan presents fascinating landscape of tradition and modern features. Prominent in it’s old, indigenous core areas are the Iba’s market (Oja’aba), Beere and the Aafin Olubadan (King’s Palace). From the popular Mapo Hill and Hall, one can easily see, the sea of rusted brown roofs, described as

“Running splash of rust: and gold flung and scattered:” by J.P Clark, in his “Ibadan” poem, in places like: Agugu, Ayeye, Aremo, Ode-Aje, Aperin, Gbelekale, Idi-Arere, Oopo Yeosa, Odinjo, Foko, Gege, Isale Ijebu, Kudeti, Oke-Are, Shepherds Hill (corrupted as Oke-Sapati), to mention but a few. These are interspersed by neighborhoods, of new and modern buildings, which are linked and crisscrossed by winding roads

Benjamin Cardozo has said it all, when he said, “History in illuminating the past, illuminates the present and in illuminating the present, illuminates the future”

Ibadan, the sprawling megacity on Seven Hills, with a strong admixture of the ancient and the modern, with its entrenched values and rich history of quick firsts in Nigeria, needs to be rejigged, sustained and be celebrated. As the Yoruba Nation’s melting point and political capital, its glory and preeminence, must be sung, always, even at the rooftop- Ibadan!